Trans-Pacific Partnership lets American workforce shine

President Barack Obama, Qualcomm CEO Steve Mollenkopf and dozens of prominent business leaders and economists have been making the case for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) in particular and for international trade in general for years now, and for good reason. The rise in standards of living worldwide over the past 70 years, including the sharp decline in extreme poverty, is due in large part to the surge in international trade, which promotes economic efficiency, growth and prosperity in the First World and Third World alike.

But that’s not what you hear on the campaign trail. Republican candidate Donald Trump depicts the North American Free Trade Agreement as a devilish job-destroyer with no upside, and TPP as its cousin. Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton — who used to be a fan of NAFTA and TPP — has caved in to the Bernie Sanders wing of her party, which depicts trade deals as helping only giant corporations at the expense of workers and consumers.

Part of this backlash to international trade is based on legitimate concerns about the inadequate empathy that the federal, state and local governments have shown toward the people and communities who suffered because of corporate relocations and outsourcing. Part of it stems from the fact that millions of Americans who have had flat wages for decades are more susceptible to populist finger-pointing, even when it is wrong. Yes, U.S. manufacturing jobs have declined in number, but that’s not because free trade has gutted U.S. manufacturing. “The output of durable goods was at an all-time high in 2015, more than triple what it was in 1980 and double what it was 20 years earlier,” MarketWatch columnist Rex Nutting reported. “The production of electronics, aerospace goods, motor vehicles and machinery are at or close to all-time highs.”

When it comes to the specifics of TPP, the upside for America — and for the great majority of Americans — is plain. The pact covers the United States, Mexico, Australia, Peru, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Brunei, New Zealand, Canada and Chile — nations with 800 million people and 40 percent of the global economy. Most of those nations have higher barriers to imports and investment than the U.S. Setting up uniform standards is certain to fuel a major boost in U.S. exports, which would create high-paying jobs in many industries, especially here in San Diego.

Contrary to Trump and the AFL-CIO, trade deals like this do not cause the trade deficit to balloon. The opposite is true: When it comes to the 14 nations the United States has free-trade agreements with, the U.S. ran a $55 billion surplus in manufactured goods in 2014.

This gets to a point that can’t be made enough: America should yearn for a level playing field, because it will allow our talented entrepreneurs and work force to shine. At the same time, we must help Americans buffeted by new trade deals to find new jobs and new careers. It’s crucial that the rising tide really does raise all ships.

Especially in a year marked by fear and demagoguery, we can’t lose track of reality. At least 35 percent of all goods cross borders, up from 20 percent in 1990. The advanced nations that grasp the interconnectedness of the world’s economy are the ones that will reap the most benefits.

The idea of an economic Fortress America isn’t just dumb and outdated. It’s dangerous. This is why we fervently hope that TPP can survive Congress — and this presidential campaign — and become law.